Can I upgrade the CPU in a 2007 Core 2 Duo iMac?

[1976pianoman]

I understand this is not supported by Apple, yet can it be done?

Here is my info:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.21f4
Serial Number (system): 737515A9X89
Hardware UUID: 00000000-0000-1000-8000-001B639AE04C

I'm wondering what socket this is, and what CPU's might work? Thank you.

 

[Intell]

Yes. I believe the fastest CPU you can get for it is the Intell X7900. It is a Core 2 Duo Extreme Edition running at 2.8Ghz.

 

[1976pianoman]

Yes. I believe the fastest CPU you can get for it is the Intell X7900. It is a Core 2 Duo Extreme Edition running at 2.8Ghz.

Thank you. That is not a considerable performance increase. Don't you agree? I was hoping for more cores and/or at least an additional 1 Ghz.

To upgrade from 2.4 to 2.8 cannot be worth it.

 

[Intell]

The choices for the mid-07 iMacs is sadly limited to 4-6 CPUs. You have a mid range one. Some people with the low end 2.0Ghz one would gladly pay the $100 to upgrade their iMacs. I don't think the iMac's chipset even has support for quad core CPUs.

 

[mercuryknight]

Thank you. That is not a considerable performance increase. Don't you agree? I was hoping for more cores and/or at least an additional 1 Ghz.

To upgrade from 2.4 to 2.8 cannot be worth it.

It is not a good way to judge a CPU by its frequency alone. Even one running below 2.4 could possibly perform better than the one coming with your iMac, depending on applications as well, of course.

 

[TacticalDesire]

It is not a good way to judge a CPU by its frequency alone. Even one running below 2.4 could possibly perform better than the one coming with your iMac, depending on applications as well, of course.

Not in this case though. They are on the same socket, with the same arch, and the same chipset. Clock for clock, the CPU's are the same.

 

[1976pianoman]

I understand the advice given here for the upgrade was given based on the CPUs Apple included in this particular computer. To me it's logical that I could upgrade to any one of those CPUs safely. What I was wondering on the outside chance, was if a completely different CPU that Apple never used could work?

For example, I have an eMachines computer. This particular computer comes in one of 5 configurations from eMachines, not one of which is a quad core. My particular model was a single core. If one determines the chipset/socket and also the motherboard type, you can break the rules and use other CPUs. It is never the case that only the CPUs used by the manufacturer will work. In my case, I added a quad core AMD Phenom - despite everybody saying it would not work - and it works beautifully.

Apple does not use proprietary guts in their computers. This chipset, socket and motherboard are all made by third parties and most likely may be compatible with other CPUs. Now will it work with the firmware, which I cannot change is another question. I was just hoping to get a bit more deep and technical here with potential options.

 

[1976pianoman]

upon further thought, I'm realizing that I am kinda wrong. Even though Apple does not manufacture the MB, it is still a pretty customized and unique specification made for Apple. I'm sure there may just be another CPU that would work, but to know which one, you'd have to be a pretty well educated technical IT pro.

This seems to be a question for the hackintosh people. They are performing similar frankenstein hardware builds and are making them work with OSX.

 

[bonafide]

Im in the same boat... time to upgrade, I guess?

 

[Intell]

Don't forget the EFI firmware microcode limitation. If you put in a CPU that Ian supported by the EFI, you could have lots of kernel panics. This is what happened with the 2006 and 2007 Mac Pros.

 

[mercuryknight]

Not in this case though. They are on the same socket, with the same arch, and the same chipset. Clock for clock, the CPU's are the same.

Are they coming with the same cache size, which has significant impacts on math intensive applications? I mean the Core 2 on the iMac and the EE version.